Public Sentiment

“The truth is, there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al-Qaeda. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity representing the ‘devil’ only in order to drive the TV watcher to accept a unified international leadership for a war against terrorism. The country behind this propaganda is the US . . .” — Pierre-Henri Bunel

Questions have been asked with no answers forthcoming. Observations had been made with no tangible contradictory opinion forthcoming. Alarm has been raised times without number with those responsible for alarm response kept mute. Who are the men behind the mask of Boko Haram? Is Boko Haram truly an Islamic extremist fighting for Islamisation of Nigeria? Are they the followers of Yusuf who was killed after being captured alive fighting for the revenge? What are the real motive behind attacks on churches and other places of worship? As the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recently said “is true that there are Boko Haram Members or sponsors are in Executive arm, bi-cameral house, Army, SSS, police and Judiciary? Hypocrite, as defined in Five precept of budha is “To abstain from taking life; to abstain from taking what is not given; to abstain from sensuous misconduct; to abstain from false speech; to abstain from intoxicants as tending to cloud the mind”

In trying to answer the above question, I crave your indulgence to take you back to strikingly similar scenario that has happened in another part of the world. Since war began in Afghanistan, the US has been using completely damning and completely empty phrases at every opportunity. “Damning ” because the phrase carries all the unspoken horror, and all the unspecified terror that Bandits want the world to feel – every time there is any activity that the USA disapproves of. “Empty” because nothing, despite Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, has ever been publicly found, no trials have been held that we know of, and no one has been convicted of being part of Al Qaeda – except the dead. So – What exactly is Al Qaeda? Like Boko Haram, who exactly are the Boko Haram members?

Therefore it is quite baffling when the same United State government links Boko Haram with Al-Qaeda. It is a fact that the US government trained, armed, funded and supported Osama bin Laden and his followers in Afghanistan during the cold war. With a huge investment of $3,000,000,000 (three billion US dollars), the CIA effectively created and nurtured bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda terrorist network; using American tax-payers money. In one of the BBC news article, it was quoted that “…Bin Laden left Saudi Arabia in 1979 to fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Afghan jihad was backed with American dollars and had the blessing of the governments of Pakistan. He received security training from the CIA itself.” “…[Osama bin Laden] received military and financial assistance from the intelligence services of Pakistan and the United States.” I know many people will be carried away by the so called ‘claims of responsibility’ and video shown recently on BBC where certainly Shekau spoke about the activities of Boko Haram. When United Nations building was bombed in Iraq, there was a group who claimed responsibility for the attack and Video posted on YouTube to support it. The whole world believed the claim as gospel truth until someone who is not convinced decided to scrutinize the story. After careful trackback of the websites domain address used by the supposed ‘Al-Qaeda’ it was discovered that the sites originate form United States of America. California specifically. Playing double you might say.

Secondly, it was reported that a family of four were on their way to Baghdad when the United State forces in Iraq stopped them for search at check point. After the search, they were asked to go. Unknown to the innocent Iraqis, a magnetic remote control bomb has been planted in their vehicle by US forces. Miraculously, the man decides to buy fruits in a local market with his family before they proceed. He was still in the market when he heard powerful explosion that send everybody running for safety. International news media immediately went on air with a breaking News of a suicide bomb blast in Iraq. The man quietly charter a taxi with his family and reported this issue to a local head in Iraq who latter brief press men that the occupying forces are the ones behind the bomb and not any faceless group. Skim milk masquerading as cream.

Moreover, I have read it in more than three National dailies an allegation that it was Professor Jerry Gana who was the one who bail Muhammad Yusuf when he was arrested by security agencies. As weighty as this allegation is, Jerry Gana has never deny it publically. This led us to another important question. What is the relationship between a top Christian Association of Nigeria Member and Leader of radical Islamic group? Are they family relations, friends or business associates? I am curious to know if there is also possible links between some Christians recently arrested trying to Burn a church with Boko Haram Christian friend. Shehu Sani was able to facilitate a meeting between late Fugu family and Obasanjo a while ago during which Obasanjo took a list from the group and promised to get back to them. Did Obasanjo tell the President before he went and did he report back to the authority? The man who received Obasanjo was killed hours after the meeting and ever since nothing is heard of that initiative again. Could it be possible that some forces who wanted to close that window carried out the killing? The SSS paraded some amputees after the UN building attack, where are they? Has anybody heard anything that was declared wanted by the SSS since then? The president on Sept 3 said the government had strong leads on masterminds of terror, where are they now? Which party has been described as “a nest of killers” by one of their own since 2001?

Who is hiding what by killing the leader of a deadly group threatening security of the country captured alive? Why is former Gov Modu Sheriff being shelved from arrest despite overwhelming evidence that he knows the answer to questions about Boko Haram? Kodunga who confess recently to be an active member of Boko Haram has been jailed. Does it mean the SSS has not obtained vital information that can lead to the arrest of the so called Spokesman and its leader? This is because an important member of a sect as its former spokesman, are supposed to have knowledge of the group operations.

We are living in the age where surveillance through information technology software made it possible to detect a location where any call originated from. Domain name and internet protocol service can also track where websites are located anywhere in the world. Despite this, our security agencies made us believe that they don’t know where calls or an online message sends to claim responsibility for some of this attacks originated from. More importantly, Shekau made appearance recently on BBC. It is now time for them to trace his state of origin, local government, school attended, friends and family and any other vital information that can lead to his arrest. If they refuse to take necessary step in arresting this issue, then I will concur to our President arguments that Boko Haram truly exits in our security agencies.

Our inability to address the issue objectively without withdrawing to religious or ethnic cocoon has now magnified into national threat. When the issue of Niger Delta Militants and OPC rears its head, the government threats it as a political issue instead of viewing it using national lens. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has proved to be a cat with nine lives. Many countries in the world are actually envious of our God made shock absorber that has been able to subdue many ills. With deadly issues of ethnic/religious war staring us in the face, I am afraid we are driving towards the end.

For any meaningful headway in this security logjam, steps must be taken immediately to address the followings. Almajiri reform and enhanced effective poverty alleviation policies and enforcement by the government. Isolate and address grievances of all interest groups as fair as possible-Government regulation of preaching in religious gathering; effective job provision and sustainability by the government; enhanced criminal intelligence by the security agencies; cooperation; and intelligence sharing by the different intelligence agencies. Effective implementation of police reform policies; reducing the high turnover of the Inspector General of Police and establishing a legal procedure to elongate or fix tenure of say five years for them would do the trick. Enhance border patrol and regulations of the influx of immigrants or aliens. Put in place good policies to promote effective and efficient leadership, good governance transparency and a mechanism to check, prevent and totally eliminate corruption. Put in place effective mechanism for conflict mediation and resolution and also an alternative dispute resolution. Enhance the citizen security agencies relationship towards maintenance of internal security and stability.

OCCUPY THE GOVERNORS

President Goodluck erroneously taught that Nigerians are still the same people of Obasanjo era. He looks for trouble in terms of subsidy removal and the people gave him double. Many people are saying that the federal government won the battle, but I beg to disagree with reasons. . Here are results of that struggle: First House of Representatives were forced to commence public hearing on subsidy regime. President Jonathan floats mass transit to assuage the feeling of the people. Activities of our public office holders are now under close scrutiny. Christians and Muslims are now more united against corrupt elites hiding under the cover of divide and rule to reign supreme.

Most importantly, our state governors are now scared stiff as to what might happen next. This is why I think that we should start investigating the treasury of each state starting from Kogi, my state. Civil Society groups, NGO’s Media men and women should be part of that struggle. Any state found to have embezzled people’s money should be occupied until such governors resign from office. From there we move to local government chairmen. I tell you, if this my suggestion is taken serious, Nigeria will be a better place before 2015 general elections.